


Adrien is a Romantic

by Oakland_Farm



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Happy Ending, Mentions of Sex, The happy ending depends on perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:07:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25676326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oakland_Farm/pseuds/Oakland_Farm
Summary: Adrien cared for Marinette, but he was more of a romantic than she anticipated.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 28
Kudos: 16





	Adrien is a Romantic

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't sure about the rating, so I went with mature.

Adrien didn’t make it past 3 dates with the handful of girls he first dated after trying to move on from Ladybug. He realized that moving on had to come from within, not from someone else and he didn’t feel right using someone’s heart like that. He had been officially single for some time, and while he was never in an official relationship, he wouldn’t diminish those girls’ feelings, when Marinette asked to speak with him after school. It was Friday, so he wasn’t in a rush to any commitments and gladly accepted.

They found a quiet place on the school grounds when Marinette began. “Adrien. I...,” she was rubbing her hands together nervously. Even after the experiences she had, she was still like this. She was comfortable with him and no longer stuttered, but her feelings had never gone away. “Would you, ugh, deep breath,” she looked up at his eyes and they were kind as always. 

“What is it Marinette?” He was so gentle.

“Would you go out with me? I’ve been in love with you since you gave me the umbrella” She was hopeful. Alya and Nino both told her that Adrien liked her, and Tikki encouraged her as well.

Adrien paused to think. This was unexpected. Her feelings for him, whatever they were, seemed to ebb and flow. She was anxious and uncomfortable for ages, then friendly, then they were like acquaintances, and then friends again. He really liked having her as a friend.

Adrien reached out to hold her hands and his larger hands surrounded hers. “Marinette. I like you, but I’m sorry, I’m not interested in being more than friends with you.” Her eyes fell and she pulled away. Everyone was convinced he’d say yes. “But I want to be completely honest with you and tell you why. Nothing I say is meant to hurt, though I know that can’t be helped. Hell, I’ve been rejected enough times myself.”

She hadn’t left yet, she was a strong woman. Others wanted to be with her, one _really_ with her she thought. So she nodded. Adrien wasn’t a bad guy and he felt bad, and she didn’t want that.

“I’ve basically been single and open to the right girl for a while, since before you and Luka started dating, and I was right here, in front of you, and you previously told me you didn’t have feelings for me. But that’s minor, what I have trouble understanding is that you dated Luka for a while, and I know you had sex. Good sex from what I heard.”

She was astonished, this is not what she expected to hear. How did he even know that?

“Look, I’m not trying to say anything you did was wrong. It’s just if you loved me why did you sleep with him? I can’t relate to that. If I was in love with someone, and they were available, I’d at least try before fucking someone else. Actually, I wouldn’t do that anyway.” He could see her crying and touched her chin to guide her eyes up.

“I’m sorry Marinette. Again, I’m just being honest. I just, I just could only have sex with someone if I loved them, and I couldn’t love two people at once. That would mean I didn’t love either of them. And sex is something special to me.” She looked shocked, he needed to change course. “I’m not saying it’s not special to you. What I can’t understand is if you loved me like you said, why be with someone else? And why break up with him?”

Marinette shook her head, was he slut-shaming her? No, no, Adrien wouldn’t do that, he was just being honest like he said. But it hurt. “He, he, liked me, and paid attention to me, and..., and I wasn’t ready for you. But, he wasn’t you.” She didn’t have to defend her actions.

“But he was good enough to play with?” He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“Marinette, I’m sorry. You have no reason to defend or explain your actions. I shouldn’t have asked. But the way it sounds to me is that now that you have some experience, you’re ready for me. I’m not an adventure or quest. I’m a person. I may have notorious self-worth issues, but even I can see that I don’t want to be some kind of back-packet option you come to after you’re done being with someone else, especially when you say I was your first choice all along.”

Adrien took a step back and inhaled deeply. “My views on love and sex are different than yours. Neither is wrong or right, they’re just different. I said no because I think they’re incompatible. We don’t see love the same way, it wouldn’t work. I, I . . . . was in love with someone, or at least I thought I was, you know that, but I had to let that go.” So not Kagami. “And I couldn’t even date a girl for longer than a month because I couldn’t use her to move on, it wasn’t fair. You say you’ve loved me for years, and maybe you do, but not how I love.”

He paused and looked down. “How you live your life is none of my business. But,” he moved his hands between the two of them, “would never work. I’m not devaluing how you love, just pointing things out. We feel so different about major aspects of relationships. But I do care about you, a lot, and I don’t want to lose you as a friend, but I understand if you feel differently.”

She was crying into her pillow when Tikki nudged her cheek. She loved it when her and Plagg’s holders ended up together, and she thought these two would. Adrien cared for Marinette, but he was more of a romantic than she anticipated. She didn’t regret encouraging Marinette to give Luka a chance, she thought it was good for Marinette. But damn, maybe she should have talked to Plagg some more.

“Marinettte, he’s just a boy.” Even Tikki could barely swallow her own bullshit. He was never just a boy, he was her other half, and now they would never join together. Tikki would never get to live with Plagg unless he was in the box. It was depressing to think about after being so hopeful for so long.

“Did he, did he,” Marinette’s words struggled through her crying, “did he slut shame me?”

Tikki rubbed Marinette’s cheek again. “No Marinette. I know his words hurt. But I think you need to understand what he was saying. It may have felt that way, and he didn’t do it in the best way maybe (although she thought he did well considering), but he feels differently about love and sex. And I agree with him, neither of you is right or wrong. You just have different views on love and sex.”

Several months passed. They were cordial with each other, Adrien more than Marinette and he gave her plenty of space. On a random Thursday, Marinette had left school before remembering she forgot a book she needed, so she walked back and entered the locker room. 

“Oh my god. Mireille, you won’t believe what he did last weekend. I mean, I told you the sex was incredible. I may not have anything to compare it to, but he’s so intuitive and wow, he can go for a long-ass time.” Marinette recognized Aurore’s voice, but she had no idea who she was talking about. She was a lucky girl though by the sound of it, and Marinette was curious and didn’t want to intrude, so she waited for them to leave before showing herself. Marinette had not even gone on one date since asking Adrien. Boys had asked, but she had considered Adrien’s words and wanted to make sure she truly no longer had feelings for him before trying with anyone else. She even thought about asking Chat. 

“So yeah, the sex is incredible. And of course, his fingers are sublime, I mean, how could they not be with those piano skills.”

Piano skills?

“And maybe it’s because he knows all those languages, but Saturday, his father and the assistant were out of town and he… god! Mireille, what he did with his tongue, I forgot my own name. The orgasms never stopped.”

Piano skills, multiple languages, assistant . . . . it couldn’t be. She didn’t know he was dating anyone.

“You’re a lucky girl Aurore.”

A deep sigh was the response. “I know, and thanks for listening. He’s so private with all the pressure his father puts on him, and you’re the only one at school that knows about us, but I just can’t not talk about how amazing of a boyfriend Adrien is. Nevermind what he looks like Naked. Mmmmmmmm.”

And there it was.

“And it’s not just the sex. Once he opens up, he’s so much fun. The way he sees the world and all the good. His positivity just seeps out, no matter how poorly his father treats him. And, he’s hilarious. He’s quick and witty. I’ve told you about some of the dates, but he goes all out. He rented out an entire cafe so we could have a private dinner and then he danced with me on the roof. He plays private concerts for me. And nothing was getting in my way when I attacked him after that.” Aurore paused and smiled, though Marinette couldn’t see that. “It’s like a dream. I don’t know why he said yes, or that he loves me, but damn, I’m gonna do whatever it takes to make sure he stays with me.”

She could do this, she could do this. The love (former love of her life she begrudgingly told herself) had a girlfriend and was incredible in bed. She thought Luka was good, but he never made her feel what Aurore was describing. He was passive and gentle, it was his personality. And when she wanted him to take charge, he wouldn’t or couldn’t. But Adrien, wow, it sounded like he, like he …, it didn’t matter. She’d never know. And it was time to get her book anyway.

Marinette walked around the wall of lockers and Aurore immediately stopped talking. “Oh shit, Marinette, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to hear that. I thought we were alone.”

Marinette kept her head down and waved Aurore off. “It’s alright Aurore, he’s your boyfriend, not mine.” _Not mine_. “I didn’t know you two were together though.”

“Um, yeah, only Mireille knows. Adrien wanted to keep it quiet and his father doesn’t know either. He didn’t want to take any chances of his father, fans, or anyone else giving us trouble.”

“I see.”

Aurore walked towards Marinette, she felt terrible. “Marinette, really, I’m sorry. I know how you felt, feel, about him. And I did wait till after you asked him out.”

“It’s ok Aurore, really.” Marinette left the locker room and trudged home. That was that. She knew it would never happen, but hearing all that just drove it home.

“Tikki.”

“Yes, Marinette?”

“Did I mess up by being with Luka?” Marinette was lying on her side in bed looking at the wall where she used to keep special photos of Adrien.

Tikki flew down directly into Marinette’s line of sight. “No, Marinette. You liked being with him, and there’s no guarantee you would have gotten with Adrien anyway or stayed with him. As he said, you two have different views of love and sex. So maybe better all of that came out before dating.”

“I guess.” She rolled over to her back and looked at her skylight. “Does this mean I’ll end up with Chat? Is it just my destiny?”

Ooof, time to be careful. “It doesn’t. Plagg and I hoped and thought you would end up together, but I don’t see that happening anymore, I don’t think he still has feelings for you. I’m sorry Marinette.” The inevitable reveal was not going to be pretty at this rate.

“Oh.”

**Author's Note:**

> There is an overabundance of fics that disregard, completely or partially, Adrien’s ownness. I regularly see him portrayed as an extension of Marinette and how he exists in her life more than I see him making decisions or having agency. This fic, and more, are mostly a reaction to such portrayals. Adrien is shown as this person that only exists to serve Marinette. She chooses someone else (usually Luka), and it’s because Adrien hurt her (extremely unlikely), or was oblivious (a load of nonsense, she denies liking him and is the queen of mixed signals, so he’s doubtful, not oblivious), or some other reason and he is always there with open arms whenever she is ready or wants him or he’s jealous. Or he rejects her and she becomes some ridiculous badass or akumatized for revenge. I mean, how dare he make his own choices without being punished?  
> She constantly claims to love him and care about him, but she demonstrates the opposite other than a handful of times in canon. Secrets, lies, trying to keep Kagami away from him, stalking, lack of trust, and more. She hurts him and treats him poorly repeatedly, as she does in canon with and without the masks, and he is eager to forgive. That is not realistic. I don’t believe Adrien would simply wave away her being with someone else when he is available and she claims to love him so quickly or not be hurt. Or if he moves away and always comes back single and wants to be with her. I realize this occurs for the stories, but it’s not like she owns him. Adrien does not owe her romantic feelings, and he is not a bad guy for not feeling the same way about her. Though even with her poor behavior, he still adores her, because canon makes it so and is the worst perpetrator of denying Adrien ownness.  
> Rare is the fic where he has a say, where she even asks what he wants instead of it just being a given that no matter what she does, he’ll always be there for her in both forms. And even rarer is the fic where he is with someone else, someone that Marinette doesn’t approve of or choose for him. Someone with a healthy and non-possessive view of him, as it’s either Marinette or Kagami. I try to write Adrichat as a person, not some extension of Marinette/Ladybug and I hope that comes across.  
> If any readers have recommendations, please send them my way. I frequently stop reading fics because of the above.


End file.
